Have lost all files due to broken keyboard???

Hello,

My elderley father contacted me to say ....

1) he has downloaded google chrome
2) 2 days later...the keyboard is not working
3) then...he has 'reconfigured' the whole pc

I am now back and everything has been wiped - all docs, photos, itunes, scans, favourites - everything of any value!!

could the keyboard have caused this??
can we recover anything? nothing is in the recycle bin

i have a lot of www saved to favourites as am currently doing a MSc and all of the research papers were there + old photos i had spent hours scanning + many other digital photos

please help.